CN114597985A - Storage battery pack, storage battery driven apparatus, external charger, and configuration method - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a configurable battery pack having a control device with a data memory for storing at least one battery charging parameter. The battery pack also has a data interface connected to the control device. The control device and the data interface are designed to provide the at least one battery charging parameter at the data interface for the device connected to the battery pack. Provision is made for the control device and the data interface to be set up for configuring the at least one battery charging parameter via an input at the data interface.

Description

Storage battery pack, storage battery driven apparatus, external charger, and configuration method

Technical Field

The invention relates to a configurable battery pack having a control device with a data memory for storing at least one battery charging parameter and a data interface connected to the control device.

The invention also relates to a battery-powered device for use with a configurable battery pack, having an electrical consumer control unit, a device interface and at least one electrical consumer.

The invention also relates to an external charger for charging a configurable battery pack, having a charging control unit and a device interface.

The invention also relates to a system comprising an apparatus and a configurable battery pack.

Finally, the invention also relates to a configuration method for a configurable battery pack, according to which at least one battery charging parameter of the battery pack is provided at a data interface of the battery pack.

Background

Batteries or battery packs have long been known and are used in the prior art as current sources for many battery-driven devices.

In the course of continuous improvements of batteries, the total available capacity or energy density of the battery pack has hitherto sometimes been so high that special safety measures have sometimes to be taken in the transport, storage and handling of the battery pack. At the same time, for economic reasons it is often necessary to arrange such "high-performance battery packs" (for example battery packs having a total capacity of 100 watt-hours or more) or electrical devices equipped with such battery packs in a particularly uncomplicated manner.

In order to solve this problem, it is known to electrically connect the battery cells or battery packs within the battery pack to one another only when the battery pack is to be put into use. As a result, a safe transport or safe storage of the battery pack or of the electrical device with the battery pack is possible, wherein at the same time a high total available capacitance as the sum of the individual capacitances of the circuit can be provided during operation.

Such a battery pack is known, for example, from DE 202015106271U 1. A battery pack for supplying electrical energy to a mobile electrical device, having a switchable total capacitance, has at least two separate cell packs having electrical interfaces, wherein the electrical interfaces of the cell packs can be electrically connected to one another to generate the total capacitance only by inserting the battery packs into the device and/or by electrically connecting the battery packs to the device. It is also provided in DE 202015106271U 1 that at least one switching element is provided for the electrical connection of the cell pack internally and can be switched by the battery pack being inserted into the device and/or by being electrically connected to the device.

Although such battery packs are in principle safer to transport and store, since the cell packs are initially separated from one another and the total available capacity of the battery packs is comparatively low during transport and storage, there is a certain risk since the sum of the stored energy of the initially still separated cell packs is still high and therefore the risk of the battery packs possibly also being exposed in the event of serious transport damage.

In principle, it is preferable to limit the sum of the stored energy of the battery pack during transport and storage.

Chargers for battery packs are also known, in which the desired state of charge can be set as a charging process end criterion. Such a charger is disclosed for example by WO 2010/060400 a 2. Charging the battery pack to, for example, only 80% of the total capacity is also advantageous in terms of the service life of the battery pack, since it is known that the service life of the battery pack is extended when it is not always fully charged.

Although the energy fed to the battery pack can thus be limited during charging by means of the charger, it is not guaranteed that the user or manufacturer actually only charges the battery pack to a charging limit that is considered safe. Thus, the legal regulations relating to the transport of hazardous materials depend only on the total available capacity of the battery pack and not on the actual state of charge.

Another problem in using battery packs can arise when the battery packs should be used in different devices with different consumer requirements. It may be particularly problematic for the device to have a recycling device in order to feed back electrical energy into the battery pack when the electric motor is decelerating. If the battery pack is not adapted to the specific application, the voltage increase caused by the return current, which is determined by the motor braking, can be higher than the permissible cell voltage of the individual battery cells. As a result, the battery cells may be damaged, which may lead to failure or at least a reduction in the service life of the battery pack. This problem may also limit, in particular, the flexible compatibility of the battery pack between different devices.

Disclosure of Invention

In view of the known prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide a configurable battery pack which allows reliable transport and reliable storage and at the same time is flexible to use.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a battery-powered apparatus which is advantageously suitable for use with a configurable battery pack.

Finally, the object of the invention is also to provide an external charger which is advantageously suitable for use with a configurable battery pack.

The object of the invention is also to provide a flexible system of devices and configurable battery packs and an advantageous method for configuring battery packs.

The configurable battery pack (1) has a control device (2) having a data memory (4) for storing at least one battery charging parameter and a data interface (5) connected to the control device (2), wherein the control device (2) and the data interface (5) are set up to provide the at least one battery charging parameter at the data interface (5) for a device (6,7) connected to the battery pack (1), characterized in that the control device (2) and the data interface (5) are set up to configure the at least one battery charging parameter via an input at the data interface (5).

The battery-powered device (6) comprises a load control unit (15), a device interface (16) and at least one load (17), wherein the device interface (16) is designed as a battery pack interface (9) which is electrically and mechanically disconnectably connectable to the battery pack (1) for supplying power to the load (17), characterized in that a configuration interface (18) is provided which can be electrically connected to the data interface (5) of the battery pack (1), which is designed to configure at least one battery charging parameter of the battery pack (1) by means of the data interface (5) of the battery pack (1) according to a setting of the load control unit (15) taking into account a user setting and/or an electrical requirement of the load (17).

The external charger (7) has a charging control unit (21) and an appliance interface (16), wherein the appliance interface (16) is designed as a battery pack interface (9) which is detachably electrically and mechanically connectable to the battery pack (1) for the charging process of the battery pack (1), characterized in that a configuration interface (18) is provided which can be electrically connected to the data interface (5) of the battery pack (1), which configuration interface is set up to record at least one battery charging parameter provided on the data interface (5) of the battery pack (1) and is configured in accordance with the setting conditions of the charging control unit (21) taking into account user setting conditions. .

The system (14) comprises the above-described configurable battery pack (1), a battery-driven device (6) and an external charger (7).

The method is a configuration method for a configurable battery pack (1), according to which at least one battery charging parameter of the battery pack (1) is provided at a data interface (5) of the battery pack (1) for a device (6,7) connected to the battery pack (1), characterized in that the at least one battery charging parameter is configured by an input at the data interface (5).

The features described below relate to advantageous embodiments and variants of the invention.

A configurable battery pack is specified, which has a control device with a data memory for storing at least one battery charging parameter.

A battery pack refers not only to a battery having a single battery cell (also referred to as a secondary cell) but also to an interconnect pack having a plurality of battery cells. The battery pack can also be an electrical energy store which is not or not only of electrochemical design, i.e. for example a capacitor.

The control device can in particular have a Battery Management System (BMS) integrated into the battery pack or be designed as a battery management system. Battery management systems are used in particular for monitoring and regulating battery packs and are sometimes also referred to as Power Management Systems (PMS).

The control means may comprise any circuitry. The control device may be composed of a plurality of individual electronic components, which may be arranged locally or physically distributed in the battery pack. However, the control device may also be a separate, separate unit.

The control device can preferably have a microprocessor or be designed as a microprocessor. Instead of a microprocessor, any other means for implementing the control device may also be provided, such as one or more circuits of individual electrical elements on a circuit board, a memory programmed controller (PLC), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), or other programmable circuits such as Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) and/or Programmable Logic Arrays (PLA).

The data memory may be integrated in a microprocessor or a battery management system, for example. The data memory may also be designed independently of the microprocessor or battery management system. As data memory, in particular a semi-permanent memory, i.e. a non-volatile memory, can be specified, the information of which can be changed during use. For example, EPROM, EEPROM, flash EEPROM, FRAM, or MRAM memories may be specified.

According to the invention, the configurable battery pack has a data interface connected to the control device. The control device and the data interface are designed to provide at least one battery charging parameter at the data interface for a device connected to the battery pack (in particular a battery-operated device or an external charger mentioned below).

The data interface may refer to an analog data interface and/or a digital data interface. In particular, a bus system can be provided, in which a plurality of data can be transmitted serially and/or in parallel via the data interface. It can also be provided that the data interface is composed of a plurality of individual interfaces.

Preferably, the data interface has at least one data line for data transmission. But a plurality of data lines, for example two, three or more data lines, may also be defined.

"the control means provides at least one battery charging parameter at the data interface for the external device" may mean that the control means provides the at least one battery charging parameter permanently, periodically or on demand (e.g. as required by the device) at the data interface.

In the case that more than one battery charging parameter is present, it can be provided that the control device provides the selected battery charging parameter to the device only at the data interface. For example, it may be provided that only one of the battery charging parameters is provided for the device.

It can also be provided that the battery charging parameters are provided for the device in a sequential manner, i.e. in chronological order.

The invention provides that the control device and the data interface are set up to configure the at least one battery charging parameter by input at the data interface.

The phrase "at least one battery charging parameter is configurable via an input at the data interface" can mean that the battery charging parameter can be set as desired. However, it may also be provided that the battery charging parameters are selectable and configurable for a plurality of isolated levels, i.e. for example on the basis of a predefined table.

Provision may be made for the control device to be able to be instructed via the data interface to modify the battery charging parameters in the data memory. However, it can also be provided that the at least one battery charging parameter can be changed directly in the data memory via the data interface.

It can be provided that, when a plurality of battery charging parameters are used, not all battery charging parameters are configured, but only selected charging parameters, for example also exactly one battery charging parameter.

The configuration of the at least one battery charging parameter can be carried out in digital, analog or hybrid form. Thus, for example, the control device can be designed at least partially analog and/or digital. The same applies to the data interface and the data memory.

In an advantageous manner, the configurable storage battery pack can be programmed automatically or manually by the device. Thus, the battery pack may be configured, for example, by a connected battery-powered device or a connected external charger.

The configurable battery pack can thus be optimally adapted for different devices and different applications in a versatile manner and can be adapted automatically or manually to the respective requirements of the overall system. In this way, the operating conditions of the battery pack can be optimized and the battery pack is also protected against overloading in the operating situation.

For example, standardized high-performance battery packs can be produced in large numbers, which can then be flexibly configured by the device. It is therefore possible to set the charging parameters of the battery pack by purely software-technical measures while the hardware remains unchanged or while the design remains unchanged.

The battery pack can be delivered at standard parameters, which can then be adjusted appropriately in the application. The manufacture of such battery packs may be economically advantageous because a single battery pack type may be manufactured in large quantities.

In an advantageous development of the invention, it can be provided that the total available capacitance of the battery pack can be configured by an input at the data interface.

The available total capacitance refers in particular to the capacitance of the battery pack, which is not necessarily equal to the available total capacitance of the battery pack on a hardware basis.

According to a further development of the invention, it can be provided, in particular, that the total available capacity is smaller than the maximum available total hardware-based battery pack capacity or that the total available capacity is equal to the maximum available total hardware-based battery pack capacity.

Since the total available capacity of the battery pack can be flexibly configured, it is ensured that even "high-performance battery packs" can be transported and stored without risk because of the possibly limited total capacity. Only then when the battery pack is to be used, the battery pack or the license can be reconfigured, whereby the actual hardware-based battery pack total capacitance can be utilized.

In particular, it can be provided that the battery pack is a lithium-ion battery pack. It is known that lithium ion battery packs can be hazardous to handle due to their high energy density. The invention is particularly advantageous for such a battery pack on this basis. The battery pack according to the invention can also be a nickel-metal composite battery, a nickel-cadmium battery or a lead battery. In principle, the invention should be understood as not being limited to a particular type of battery pack.

The battery pack may be specified to provide an operating voltage of 18 volts or 36 volts. Obviously, the battery pack can be designed for any voltage and current.

Another advantage of flexibly configuring the total available capacitance of the battery pack may be that the user of the battery pack may himself judge: he uses the battery pack as a high-performance battery pack, i.e. with a very high capacitance, or as a long-lasting battery pack, i.e. for example with only 80% of its maximum hardware-side capacitance.

According to a further development of the invention, it can be provided that the at least one battery charging parameter is a nominal voltage, a charging interface voltage and/or a total available capacitance.

In particular, by influencing the charging interface voltage, it is generally possible to determine the point in time at which the charger assumes that the battery pack is charged to 80%. The change in the charging interface voltage can therefore influence the charging process of the battery pack and thus the total available capacitance.

It may also be possible to provide a setpoint voltage, with which the charger deduces the "apparent" total capacitance and the charging interface voltage. Finally, the total available capacitance can also be predefined in this way.

It can also be provided that the available total capacitance is set directly.

It may even be provided that a complete charging curve can be defined within the battery pack, which has the ability to communicate the battery pack condition to the charger, which is then taken into account by the charger for the charging process. The charging profile may for example refer to a current-time profile, a voltage-time profile or a current-voltage profile.

In one embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that the total available capacity of the battery pack can be configured in a plurality of stages, preferably including a range of less than 100 watt-hours and a range of 100 watt-hours or more. For example, it can be provided that the total available capacity of the battery pack is set to 99 watt-hours before the transport or storage process. After the end of the transport or storage process, in particular before the battery pack is put into use, the at least one battery charging parameter can finally be configured in such a way that a total available capacity of the battery pack of 100 watt-hours or more is possible. The use of the 100 watt-hour limit value may be advantageous because it is known that battery packs having a total available capacitance of less than 100 watt-hours can be transported relatively risk-free and therefore without any trouble.

In a further development of the invention, the configurable battery pack can have a battery pack interface for detachably electrically and mechanically connecting the battery pack to the device, in particular for supplying the battery-operated device with power and/or charging the battery pack from an external charger.

The battery pack interface may have a mechanical coding to only connect to the device in a specified orientation and/or to only connect with a specified selected type of device.

The battery pack interface may have a locking member to provide detachable locking with a corresponding device interface of the device, such as a locking tab/catch and locking slot/retractor combination. The battery pack interface and the device interface can be designed in the form of a plug-in connection.

The battery pack interface may have, in particular, a charging interface and/or a power supply interface, which includes a cathode contact and an anode contact. Through the battery pack interface, electrical energy can be drawn from or fed into the battery pack.

In a further development of the invention, it can be provided that the data interface is integrated into the battery pack interface.

The battery pack interface can optionally also have further interfaces.

In a further development of the invention, it can be provided, in particular, that the data interface has one or more contact elements for electrically and mechanically contacting one or more corresponding counter-contact elements of the device (in particular for contacting counter-contact elements of a device interface of the device).

The contact or mating contact piece can be, for example, a flat contact, a contact pin, in particular a spring-loaded contact pin, a contact spring of any type of construction and/or a sliding contact. In principle, any contact type can be provided, for example a combination of plug contacts and socket contacts.

In an advantageous development of the invention, it can be provided that the data interface is designed to be wireless, in particular as a bluetooth interface, a WLAN interface or an RFID interface.

Through this wireless interface, the configuration of the charging parameters of the storage battery can be carried out very comfortably by the device. Combinations of multiple wireless interfaces and/or multiple legacy interfaces may also be specified.

The wireless data interface can optionally be connectable to a mobile terminal device, such as a smartphone or a tablet. The state of the battery pack can thus be detected, for example, by means of a software application executed on the mobile terminal. The possibility of setting parameters of the battery pack or of the battery charging parameters can also be improved by using the mobile terminal and/or the software application.

The data interface may be designed as a serial interface or as a parallel interface. The use of a serial interface may be advantageous, since the data interface can thus be constructed compactly.

The invention also relates to a battery-driven apparatus for use with a configurable battery pack, in particular for use with a configurable battery pack according to the above and the following description. The battery-powered device has an electrical consumer control unit, a device interface and at least one electrical consumer. The device interface is designed as a battery pack interface which is detachably connected electrically and mechanically to the battery pack for supplying power to an electrical consumer.

The consumer control unit may comprise any circuitry. The consumer control unit may be composed of a plurality of individual electronic components, which are arranged, perhaps locally or physically distributed, in the battery-powered device. The consumer control units may also be separate units from each other. The consumer control unit can preferably have a microprocessor or be designed as a microprocessor. Instead of a microprocessor, any other device for implementing the consumer control unit can also be provided, for example the devices already mentioned above with regard to the control device. This also applies to the charging control unit of the external charger, which is also referred to below.

The device interface may have a mechanical coding in order to be able to be connected to the battery pack only in a defined orientation and/or in order to be able to be connected only to battery packs of a defined selected type. The device interface may also have a locking member for providing detachable locking with the battery pack interface of the battery pack, for example a combination of a locking projection/hook and a locking groove/retractor. The device interface and the battery pack interface can be designed in the form of a plug-in connection. This also applies to the device interfaces of the external charger which are also mentioned below.

The battery-powered device has a configuration interface that can be electrically connected to the battery pack data interface, which is set up to configure at least one battery charging parameter of the battery pack according to a setting of the consumer control unit and by means of the data interface of the battery pack taking into account user-defined conditions and/or taking into account the electrical requirements of the consumer.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the at least one battery charging parameter may be read previously by the battery pack and provided at the data interface and/or acquired by the battery-driven device via the data interface and the configuration interface.

The battery-powered device enables a configurable battery pack to flexibly adapt to the requirements of the electrical consumer, thereby protecting the electrical consumer and the battery pack from overload conditions. Additionally, battery pack operating conditions for use with a particular customer may be optimized.

The battery pack can in principle be used to supply any electrical machine.

In an advantageous development of the invention, however, it can also be provided that the battery-powered device is designed as an electric power tool.

The electric power tool may be, in particular, a hand-held electric power tool, such as a drill, an angle grinder, etc., but also a machine which is mounted in a fixed position during operation, i.e., is stationary or semi-stationary, such as a circular table saw, etc.

In an advantageous development of the invention, it can be provided that the electrical consumer is designed as an electric motor.

It can be provided that the battery-powered device has an electrical recovery device which is set up to feed back electrical energy into the configurable battery pack when the electric motor is decelerating. It is particularly advantageous, for example, in the case of angle grinders, to use regenerative braking processes or recycling devices. The braking current can be fed back into the battery pack, which causes a corresponding voltage increase in the individual battery cells. When the battery pack is charged to its maximum hardware capacity shortly before, in the process, a voltage peak occurs which exceeds the permissible cell voltage. The battery cells may thus be damaged, which leads to a malfunction or at least a reduction in the service life. Furthermore, overvoltage shutdown, which is to be avoided as much as possible during operation, may occur. The motor braking behavior and thus the device operation during use can also be influenced thereby accidentally, which can lead to dangerous situations, in particular in power tools.

This problem can be avoided when the battery charging parameters are reconfigured or adjusted prior to the charging process so that the battery pack is no longer charged by the charger to its total hardware-related capacitance. The charger can terminate the charging process in advance on the basis of the changed charging parameters of the battery, so that the battery pack is then no longer overloaded during recycling.

Advantageously, the battery charging parameters can be configured to provide redundancy against overvoltages, for example, in the case of initial use of the battery pack in a corresponding battery-operated device or when a harmful voltage spike or other overload first occurs. The service life of the battery pack can be extended in this way.

The invention also relates to an external charger for charging a configurable battery pack, in particular a configurable battery pack according to the above and the following description. The external charger has a charging control unit and an appliance interface, wherein the appliance interface is designed to be detachably connected electrically and mechanically to a battery pack interface of the battery pack for a charging process of the battery pack.

The charging control unit can comprise any circuit, as has already been described above in the context of a control device of a battery pack or in the context of a consumer control unit.

The external charger has a configuration interface which can be electrically connected to the battery pack data interface and is set up to detect at least one battery charging parameter provided at the data interface of the battery pack and to configure the battery charging parameter in accordance with the settings of the charging control unit, taking into account user-defined conditions.

The external charger can thus be used to optimize battery charging parameters according to the pre-specified application.

For example, it can be provided that the total available capacity of the battery pack can be increased or decreased, taking into account user-defined conditions, for example during a first charging process in an external charger. For example, the capacitance of the configurable battery pack may increase to a value in excess of 100 wh during the first charging process.

In a further development of the invention, it can be provided that a configuration interface of the battery-operated device or of an external charger is integrated into the device interface.

The connection to the battery pack data interface can thus be produced simultaneously with the power supply connection or the charging connection, without further measures being required.

According to a further development of the invention, it can be provided that the configuration interface of the battery-powered device or of the external charger has one or more mating contact elements for electrically and mechanically contacting one or more corresponding contact elements of the data interface of the battery pack.

In principle, any contact type can be specified as described previously.

In an advantageous development of the invention, it can be provided that the configuration interface of the battery-powered device or of the external charger is designed to be wireless, in particular as a bluetooth interface, a WLAN interface or an RFID interface.

Through such a wireless interface, the configuration of the charging parameters of the battery can be carried out particularly comfortably.

The invention also relates to a system comprising a device according to the above and below description, i.e. for example a battery-driven device or an external charger, and a configurable battery pack, in particular a configurable battery pack according to the above and below description.

In an advantageous manner, a change of the overall system can be achieved by individual parameter setting of the charging parameters of the battery pack, whereby the properties of the battery pack can be changed permanently or at least temporarily when connected with a battery-driven device and/or when connected with an external charger.

The invention also relates to a configuration method for a configurable battery pack, in particular a configurable battery pack according to the above and the following description, according to which at least one battery charging parameter of the battery pack is provided at a data interface of the battery pack for a device connected to the battery pack, in particular for an external charger, and preferably an external charger according to the above and the following description. Provision is made for the at least one battery charging parameter to be configured via an input at the data interface.

In an advantageous further development of the invention, it can be provided that the at least one battery charging parameter is configured by the device to influence a subsequent charging process.

It can be provided that the battery charging parameters available at the data interface influence the characteristic curve of the charging process and/or determine the charging process.

Since the data provided at the data interface can be configured, the battery pack may simulate the state of a comparatively weak battery pack during the charging process. The external charger can thus recognize a weak battery pack and automatically select the corresponding charging process or the corresponding charging characteristic. The external charger therefore interrupts the charging process in advance, for example, so that the battery pack is not fully charged, although this is possible in terms of hardware.

Finally, the battery pack can be transported and stored relatively free of danger and therefore without complications, for example.

In addition, the storage battery pack can be adjusted according to the application and is reliably used with a recycling device of any storage battery driven equipment.

According to a further development of the invention, it can be provided that the at least one battery charging parameter is configured by the device taking into account the electrical requirements of the electrical recovery device in order to ensure that an overcharging of the battery pack is avoided while feeding back electrical energy into the battery pack.

The battery pack can therefore be used very flexibly, for example also for recycling when used with an electric motor, since the charging process is influenced indirectly by the configuration of the battery charging parameters.

The features described in relation to one of the plurality of subject matter of the present invention, as particularly pointed out in the context of the configurable battery pack, battery-powered device, external charger, system, and method, can also be advantageously implemented in relation to other subject matter of the present invention. Likewise, advantages mentioned in connection with one of the inventive subject matter may also be understood as relating to other subject matters of the invention.

It is additionally noted that terms such as "comprising", "having" or "with" do not exclude other features or steps. Furthermore, the word "a" or "an" as designating a single step or feature does not exclude a plurality of features or steps and vice versa.

However, in a simple embodiment of the invention, it can also be provided that the features introduced by the terms "comprising", "having" or "with" in the context of the invention are not exhaustive. Accordingly, a listing of one or more features may be considered to be exhaustive within the scope of the invention.

It is noted that references to "first" or "second", etc. are used inter alia for distinguishing between corresponding apparatus features and method features and do not necessarily imply that the features are mutually exclusive or related.

It is also emphasized that the values and parameters described herein encompass deviations or variations of ± 10% or less, preferably ± 5% or less, more preferably ± 1% or less, and even more preferably ± 0.1% or less of the known corresponding values or parameters, provided that such deviations are not excluded in the practice of the present invention. The ranges specified by the initial and final values also encompass all values and components encompassed by the respective ranges mentioned, in particular the initial and final values and the respective mean values.

Drawings

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

The figures show preferred embodiments, respectively, where individual features of the invention are shown in combination with each other. Features of embodiments may also be implemented apart from other features of a common embodiment and can accordingly be combined with features of other embodiments to form meaningful combinations or sub-combinations as may be readily combined by a skilled person.

In the figures, functionally identical parts are provided with the same reference numerals, and the figures show schematically:

FIG. 1 shows a wiring diagram of a configurable battery pack according to the present invention;

fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a configurable battery pack with a battery pack interface;

FIG. 3 illustrates a system of battery-driven equipment and a configurable battery pack according to the present invention;

figure 4 shows a system according to the invention consisting of an external charger and a configurable battery pack;

fig. 5 illustrates an exemplary method for configuring a battery pack.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 schematically shows a wiring diagram of a configurable battery pack 1 according to the invention. Fig. 2 shows a perspective view.

The battery pack 1 comprises an integrated control device 2, for example with a battery management system 3. The control device 2 also has a data memory 4 for storing at least one battery charging parameter. The control device 2 or the battery management system 3 can have a microcontroller or be designed as a microcontroller, for example, wherein the microcontroller is connected to the data memory 4 for reading and writing data (in particular, battery charging parameters) and/or has a corresponding internal data memory.

The configurable battery pack 1 has a data interface 5 connected to the control device 2. The at least one battery charging parameter is provided by the control device 2 at the data interface 5 to the devices 6,7 connected to the battery pack 1.

The at least one battery charging parameter can be configured by an input at the data interface 5. For example, it can be provided that the control device 2 is instructed via the data interface 5 to change the battery charging parameters in the data memory 4. However, it can also be provided that the at least one battery charging parameter can be changed directly in the data memory 4 via the data interface 5.

The battery pack 1 comprises battery cells 8, preferably one, two, three or four, and possibly also one hundred or more, which are connected in series. It is obviously also possible to provide for a plurality of battery cells 8 to be connected in parallel with one another in order to increase the total capacitance while the battery voltage remains constant. In particular, a series-parallel connection, i.e., a series-parallel combination, may also be specified.

For the detachable electrical and mechanical connection to the devices 6,7, the battery pack 1 has a battery pack interface 9, which serves in particular to supply the battery-driven device 6 (see fig. 3) with power and/or to charge the battery pack 1 by means of an external charger 7 (see fig. 4). The battery pack interface 9 includes a cathode contact 10 and an anode contact 11. Via the battery pack interface 9, electrical energy can be drawn from the battery pack 1 or fed into the battery pack 1.

The data interface 5 is integrated into the battery pack interface 9 and has contact pieces 12 for electrical and mechanical contacting with corresponding mating contact pieces 13 (see fig. 4) of the devices 6, 7. In principle, the data interface 5 can also have further data lines or contact elements.

Other interfaces can also be provided on the battery pack 1, but they are not discussed in detail here. For example, an interface can be provided, via which the battery pack 1 can transmit temperature signals and/or fault signals.

The data interface 5 can also be designed to be wireless, in particular a bluetooth interface, a WLAN interface or an RFID interface. The battery pack 1 can thus even be configured wirelessly by means of the devices 6, 7. The devices 6,7 may also be for example PCs, tablets or smart phones. For example, the configuration of the charging parameters of the battery can be carried out comfortably using an application on the smartphone.

In particular, provision can be made for the total available capacitance of the battery pack 1 to be configurable by inputting it at the data interface 5. The total available capacitance is preferably less than or equal to the maximum available hardware-based total capacitance of the battery pack 1.

The at least one battery charging parameter can preferably be a nominal voltage and/or a charging interface voltage and/or a total available capacitance. Preferably, the total available capacity of the battery pack 1 can thus be configured in multiple stages, in particular including a range of less than 100 watt-hours and a range of 100 watt-hours or more. Stepless configuration may also be achieved, for example, when the data interface 5 is similarly designed.

In particular, battery packs 1 of identical design can be reconfigured in different variants by means of configuration possibilities of at least one battery charging parameter. Thus, for example, a "permanent" or "dynamic" variant can be selectively produced by the standard battery pack 1. In particular, it can be provided that the user, i.e. the preferred end user, himself determines which variant is preferred and performs the corresponding configuration by means of the devices 6, 7. The devices 6,7 may also configure the battery pack 1 automatically, in particular on the basis of the specific electrical requirements of the devices 6,7 for the battery pack 1.

Fig. 3 shows an exemplary system 14 consisting of a battery-driven apparatus 6 and a configurable battery pack 1. The battery-powered device 6 is designed, for example, as an electric power tool (battery-powered drill). In principle, however, any battery-powered device 6 can be provided, but the invention is well suited for use with angle grinders.

The battery-powered device 6 has an electrical load control unit 15, a device interface 16 and an electrical load 17, each of which is represented by a dashed line in fig. 3.

The device interface 16 can be detachably connected electrically and mechanically to the battery pack interface 9 of the battery pack 1 for the supply of power to the electrical consumer 17.

The battery-powered device 6 also has a configuration interface 18 that can be electrically connected to the data interface 5 of the battery pack 1, which is set up to configure the at least one battery charging parameter according to the setting conditions of the consumer control unit 15, taking into account the electrical requirements of the consumer 17 and/or taking into account user setting conditions. The user-set condition may be measured, for example, by a mechanical user interface (e.g., key 19), a cable-based interface, and/or a wireless interface of the battery-driven device 6.

The configuration interface 18 is designed to correspond to the data interface 5, has corresponding counterpart contact pieces 13, and is integrated into the device interface 16. The configuration interface 18 can in principle also be of any design, for example also wireless.

The electrical load 17 of the battery-powered device 6 is preferably designed as an electric motor.

The invention is particularly suitable for use with battery-powered devices 6, in which an electrical energy recovery device 20 is provided in order to feed back electrical energy into the battery pack 1 when the load 17 or the electric motor is decelerated. In this way, the specific requirements for recycling can be taken into account during the configuration of the battery charging parameters in order to avoid overloading the battery pack 1. The recycling device 20 can be partially or completely integrated into the consumer 17. The recycling device 20 can also be partially or completely integrated into the consumer control unit 15.

Preferably, by configuring the battery charging parameters by the battery-driven device 6, the subsequent charging process can be influenced, in particular to increase or decrease the available total capacitance of the battery pack 1.

In fig. 4, a further exemplary system 14 is shown, which has an external charger 7 for charging the configurable battery packs 1 and one of the battery packs 1.

The external charger 7 has a charging control unit 21 and a device interface 16 (indicated by broken lines in fig. 4, respectively). The device interface 16 of the external charger 7 is detachably connected electrically and mechanically to the battery pack interface 9 of the battery pack 1 for the charging process of the battery pack 1. In this embodiment, the external charger 7 has two device interfaces 16 for receiving the respective battery packs 1. In principle, however, the external charger 7 can also be designed to receive only a single battery pack 1 or a plurality of battery packs 1.

The external charger 7 also has a configuration interface 18 which can be electrically connected to the data interface 5 of the battery pack 1 and is set up to record at least one battery charging parameter provided at the data interface 5 of the battery pack 1 and to configure it in accordance with the setting conditions of the charging control unit 21 taking into account the user setting conditions. This user-set condition can be detected, for example, by a mechanical user interface, a wired interface or a wireless interface of the external charger 7.

An exemplary method for configuring the battery pack 1 is illustrated in fig. 5.

In a first method step S1, it can be provided that the already pre-configured battery pack 1 is connected to a corresponding device 6,7, for example a battery-driven device 6 or an external charger 7. The configurable battery pack 1 may in particular have a standard setting relating to the battery charging parameters, such as a maximized total capacitance or a reduced total capacitance available for reliable transport.

In the context of the second method step S2, it can be provided that, for example, when the device 6,7 is switched on, the device 6,7, for example the battery-operated device 6 or the external charger 7, first receives the battery charging parameters via the configuration interface 18.

In the context of the third method step S3, it can be provided that the device 6,7, for example the battery-operated device 6 or the external charger 7, configures the battery charging parameters as a function of requirements and/or user-defined conditions of the consumer 17 of the battery-operated device 6.

In a fourth method step S4, it can be provided that the battery pack 1 is charged by an external charger 7. For this purpose, the external charger 7 receives at least one battery charging parameter and carries out a charging process on the basis of the battery charging parameter. The charging process can be advantageously influenced by the individual configuration possibilities of the charging parameters of the battery.

It can be provided that the battery charging parameters provided at the data interface 5 influence the characteristic curve of the charging process of the external charger 7 and/or specify the charging process. The external charger 7 can recognize the battery pack 1 from the available data and is therefore preferably able to carry out a charging process or a charging characteristic profile that is ideal for the assumed presence of the battery pack 1.

Claims (19)

1. A configurable battery pack (1) having a control device (2) with a data memory (4) for storing at least one battery charging parameter and a data interface (5) connected to the control device (2), wherein the control device (2) and the data interface (5) are set up to provide the at least one battery charging parameter at the data interface (5) for a device (6,7) connected to the battery pack (1),

the control device (2) and the data interface (5) are designed to configure the at least one battery charging parameter via an input at the data interface (5).

2. Configurable battery pack (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the total available capacitance of the battery pack (1) can be configured by an input at the data interface (5).

3. A configurable storage battery pack (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the total available capacitance is smaller than the maximum achievable total hardware-based capacitance of the storage battery pack (1) or equal to the maximum achievable total hardware-based capacitance of the storage battery pack (1).

4. The configurable battery pack (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the at least one battery charging parameter is a nominal voltage, a charging interface voltage and/or the total available capacitance.

5. Configurable battery pack (1) according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a battery pack interface (9) is provided for detachably electrically and mechanically connecting the battery pack (1) to the device (6,7), in particular for supplying a battery-driven device (6) and/or charging the battery pack (1) by means of an external charger (7).

6. Configurable battery pack (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the data interface (5) is integrated into the battery pack interface (9).

7. Configurable battery pack (1) according to one of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the data interface (5) has one or more contact elements (12) for electrical and mechanical contact with one or more corresponding counter-contact elements (13) of the device (6, 7).

8. Configurable battery pack (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the data interface (5) is designed to be wireless, in particular a Bluetooth interface, a WLAN interface or an RFID interface.

9. A battery-driven apparatus (6) for use with a configurable battery pack (1), the device has a consumer control unit (15), a device interface (16) and at least one consumer (17), wherein the device interface (16) is designed to be detachably connected electrically and mechanically to a battery pack interface (9) of the battery pack (1) for the supply of power to the electrical consumer (17), it is characterized in that a configuration interface (18) which can be electrically connected to the data interface (5) of the storage battery pack (1) is arranged, the configuration interface is set up to configure at least one battery charging parameter of the battery pack (1) by means of the data interface (5) of the battery pack (1) according to the setting conditions of the consumer control unit (15) taking into account user setting conditions and/or the electrical requirements of the consumer (17).

10. Battery-powered apparatus (6) according to claim 9, characterized in that the battery-powered apparatus (6) is designed as an electric power tool.

11. Battery-driven apparatus (6) according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the electrical consumer (17) is designed as an electric motor, wherein an electrical recycling device (20) is provided to feed back electrical energy into the configurable battery pack (1) when the electric motor is decelerated.

12. An external charger (7) for charging a configurable battery pack (1), having a charging control unit (21) and an appliance interface (16), wherein the appliance interface (16) is designed to be detachably electrically and mechanically connected to a battery pack interface (9) of the battery pack (1) for a charging process of the battery pack (1), characterized in that a configuration interface (18) is provided which can be electrically connected to a data interface (5) of the battery pack (1), is set up for recording at least one battery charging parameter provided on the data interface (5) of the battery pack (1) and is configured in accordance with the setting conditions of the charging control unit (21) taking into account user setting conditions.

13. Device (6,7) according to one of the claims 9 to 12, characterized in that the configuration interface (18) is integrated into the device interface (16).

14. Device (6,7) according to one of claims 9 to 13, characterized in that the configuration interface (18) has one or more counterpart contact elements (13) for electrical and mechanical contact with one or more corresponding contact elements (12) of the data interface (5) of the battery pack (1).

15. Device (6,7) according to one of claims 9 to 13, characterized in that the configuration interface (18) is designed to be wireless, in particular a bluetooth interface, a WLAN interface or an RFID interface.

16. A system (14) comprising a device (6,7) according to one of claims 9 to 15 and a configurable storage battery pack (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8.

17. A configuration method for a configurable battery pack (1), whereby at least one battery charging parameter of the battery pack (1) is provided at a data interface (5) of the battery pack (1) for a device (6,7) connected to the battery pack (1), characterized in that the at least one battery charging parameter is configured by an input at the data interface (5).

18. A method according to claim 17, characterized in that the at least one battery charging parameter is configured by the device (6,7) to influence the subsequent charging process.

19. A method according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that the apparatus (6,7) configures said at least one battery charging parameter taking into account the electrical requirements of the electrical recycling device (20) to ensure that overcharging of the battery pack (1) is avoided by feeding back electrical energy to the battery pack (1) by the recycling device (20).

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